Traffic signal actuating apparatus



Aug. 18, 1931. F. MAMIYA TRAFFIC SIGNAL ACTUATING APPARATUS Filed May l'! 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 wmm INVENTORH Fusaumo MAM I'YA.

.BYATTY. M

Aug. 18, 1931. M A

TRAFFIC SIGNAL ACTUATING APPARATUS Filed May l7 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ:

FusAU Rdo MAMIYA Aug. 18; 1931 F. MAMIYA 1,819,518

TRAFFIC SIGNAL ACTUATING APPARATUS Filed May 17 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORJ:

Fusnumo MAMIYA .BYATTY:

Aug. 18,1931. MAMWA 1,819,518

TRAFFIC SIGNAL ACTUATING APPARATUS Eiled May 17. 1950 4 Sheets-$1196: 4

INVENTOR): FUSAJIRO MAMXTA. .BYATTY'.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES IFUSAJ'ILRO MAMIYA, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC SIGNAL Acru'ATING APPARATUS Application filed May 17, 1930. Serial No. 453,192.

This invention relates to an improved actuating mechanism for traffic signals, and its objects are to provide signal actuatingmechanism whereby the driver of a vehicle may indicate to others, the intended movements to be made with the vehicle.

An especial object of the invention is'to provide an automobile signal actuating mechanism which is adjustable for installing on many different automobiles, and to generally improve the construction of the mechanism so as to be reliable and efficient in use, and to provide for constant illumination of the signal at night.

With such objects in view, and others whic will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts set forth in the description and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved signal actuating apparatus including my vehicle trafiic signal. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the'trafiicsignal adapted for use with my actuating apparatus. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the traffic signal. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the trafiic signal with the sempahore arm in display position. Fig. 5 isa sectionaleleva'tion of the traflic signal with the sempahore arm in non-display position, showing the supporting bracket for the signal and certain of the initial actuating elements of the actuating apparatus. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the initial signal actuatinglever whereby the semaphore arm is actuated to turn signal positionsf Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the initial signal actuating lever. Fig. 8 is a top plan of the signal lever housing. Fig. 9

4g is a bottom'plan of the signal lever and its housing.

link and shaft lever for actuating the signal manually. Fig. 11 is a sectional detail 5 view of the adjusting sleeve for the shaft lever. Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of the automatic actuating mechanism and housing therefor. Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional elevation of theautomatic actuating mechso anism and housing. Fig. 14 is a front eleva- Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail. view showing the signal actuating lever, the

tion of the automatic mechanism housing. Fig. 15'is a detail view of the electrical elements. Fig. 16 is a detail view of the automatically movable lever which actuates the signal and switch elements to initial display positions.

Referring to the drawings, the signal housing 17 has a semaphore arm 18, movable to initial or stop signal position, to horizontal or left turn position, and to upper right turn position. Arm 18 has an illuminating electric bulb 19, and is actuated by sliding move ment of rack member 20. Lever 21 is actuated by member 20, and link 22 connects lever 21 and semaphore housing 23, of signal arm 18. The signal device as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, is adapted to be actuated by my improved signal actuating mechanism as hereinafter described.

The signal actuating mechanism consists of a supporting bracket 24, in which is mounted the rotatable shaft 25 carrying on one end thereof, a toothed pinion 26, adapted to actuate rack member 20, and on the opposite end of shaft 25, a tubular clamp member 27, secured by bolt 28. Member 27 is fixed to tubular shaft -29, whereby pinion 26, shaft 25, clamp member27 and shaft member 29 rotate 111111115011 with one another; A stop member 30 is clamped to shaft 25 and rotates therewith, and sleeve member31 is secured by set screws 32, to shaft 29 androtates therewith. Means for rotating pinion 26 th'rough its several arcs of movement will be now set forth.

For manually actuating the signal to turn display positions,I provide a housing 33, secured by bracket 34 to dash 35, of a vehicle, the housing having peripheral slot 36* in. which initial lever 37 operates. Lever 37 has a secondary lever 38 pivotallyconnected thereto and actuated by spring 39 to engage with notch 40, thereby maintaining lever 37 in a left turn display position. A'secondary lever 41, pivotally connected relative to lever 37, is actuated by spring-actuated plunger 42, to engage with notch 43, thereby man tainin'g lever 37 ina-right turn display posltion. Lever 37 hasan integral arm 44'extending through peripheral slot. 45, and pivotally connected to link member 46. which has on its opposite end a clamp member 47, pivotally connected to shaft lever 48. Shaft lever 48 is independently rotatable on initial actuating shaft 25, and engages with stop member 30 which is clamped to shaft 25. In Figs 6, 7, 9 and 10, the initial lever 37 is shown in the right turn display position. Shaft lever 48 is in engagement with stop member 30, except when shaft 25 is automatically actuated from non-display position to its initial position for indicating stop signals, as will be hereinafter set forth. For night use, the latch member 49 extends in slot 36, thereby maintaining lever 37 in position to maintain the electrical switch elements in closed position as hereinafter set forth, but in day use of the apparatus, this latch member is turned out of the path of lever 37, and the electrical switch elements are in open position, except when the signal arm is actuated to any of its display positions.

For automatically actuating the semaphore signal to its initial display position to indicate a stop signal, I provide a fixed housing member 50, clamped to bracket 72 which may be mounted on the inner side of dash 35 of the vehicle. Sleeve member 31, rotating synchronously with initial shaft 25, is journalled in fixed housing member 50, and has an integral arm 51 which has a projecting lug 52. A movable casing 53 is connected to arm 51, by screws 54, and moves synchronously therewith. A spring 55, has one end connected to arm 51 and its opposite inner end connected to fixed housing member 50, thereby maintaining arm 51 normally in engagement with stop member 56, fixed to housing member 50, maintainingstop member 30 in engagement with shaft lever 48, and normally maintaining the signal actuating pinion 26 in its nondisplay position. Spring 55 therefore tends to maintain the signal in non-display position. On shaft 29. there is mounted an independently rotatable sleeve 57, having on its lnner end a cam 58 in engagement with projecting lug 52 on arm 51. Cam 58 is normally held in engagement with stop member 56 by arm 51. On the outer end of sleeve 57, there is fixed a lever 59, which, through the adjustable link elements 60, is adapted to be" actuated to initial display position, on movement of the vehicle brake pedal 71.

Upon actuation of the brake pedal, the cam 58 will be actuated through an arc of movement of forty-five degrees, thereby actuating arm 51 which is fixed to and actuates the rotatable assembly of members comprising shaft 29, member 27, stop member 30, shaft 25, and pinion 26. This initial rotary movement does not affect the independent shaft lever 48.

On actuation of initial lever 37 by the operator, the assembly of rotatable elements may be actuated from non-display position through an arc of movement of ninety degrees for actuating pinion 26 and the signal to a left turn position, and an arc of movement of one hundred and thirty-five degrees for right turn display position.

Casing 53, moving synchronously with arm 51, shaft 25, and pinion 26, has mounted thereon an insulating member 61, carrying a binding post 62, to which is connected an electrical conductor 63, passing through an opening 64 and through shaft 25, to and within signal housing 17 and to the electric bulb 19. Member 61 has mounted thereon a con tact member 65, which, in any but initial nondisplay positions, will contact with a fixed contact member 66, mountedon an insulatmg base 67. An electrical energizing conductor 68 is connected to'fixed contactmember 66, and a ground conductor 69 is connected by binding post 70 to fixed housing member 50. During day use-of the apparatus, the latch member 49 is placed in inoperative position. For night use of the apparatus the latch member 49 is turned into slot 36, thereby throwing lever 37 to a position whereby the electrical switch contact elements are maintained. in closed position so that the electrical bulb is energized constantly in display and non-display positions of the semaphore arm.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it may be seen that the present invention comprehends a signal actuating mechanism and apparatus whereby trafiic signals may be efficiently actuated to display and non-display positions, and may be manually actuated to certain display positions, and automatically actuated to a certain. display position upon actuation of a vehicle brake pedal; the apparatus including adjusting means for the purpose of installing on many different vehicles, and including means whereby a signal light may be maintained at night to indicate the position of the signal while the signal indicating means remain in 9 non-display position.

The assembly of elements comprising the signal shaft 25, stop member 30, shaft 29, and clamp member 28, rotates as a single unit upon actuation of any of the levers provided,

and, in the claims, will be designated as the signal-actuating shaft, except where specifically mentioned.

What is claimed is j 1. In a signal-actuating apparatus, the

Lot

combination with a rotatable shaft, an actuat- 'ing pinion on one end of the shaft, and supporting members for the shaft, of a lever housing disposed adjacent to the rotatable shaft, the housing having peripheral upper and lower slots, and notches in the upper slot, aninitial signal lever operatively mounted in the lever housing, auxiliary levers pivotally connected relative to the initial signal lever and adapted to engage with the notches in the uppermost slot, an arm integral with the initial lever and projecting from the loWer slot, a stop member fixed to the signal-actuating shaft, a shaft lever independently rotatable on the signal-actuating shaft, and adapted to engage with the stop member, a stop pin fixed to one of the supporting members for the signal-actuating shaft, a lever arm mounted on the signal-actuating shaft adjacent to the last-named supporting member, and a spring having one end fixed to the said supporting member and its opposite end to the lever arm.

2. In a signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a rotatable signal-actuating shaft, and a pinion on one end of the signal-actuating shaft, of a bracket member supporting the shaft at one end, a fixed housing member supporting the opposite end of the signal-actuating shaft, a stop pin fixed to the housing member, a lever arm mounted on the signal-actuating shaft within and projecting from the fixed housing member, a spiral spring having its outer end connected to the lever arm and its inner end connected to the fixed housing member and serving to maintain the lever arm in engagement with the stop pin, and means whereby the signalactuating shaft may be manually actuated through arcs of rotary movement, and to signal display positions, and means for retaining the manually-actuating means in any signal display position.

3. In a signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a rotatable signal-actuating shaft, a bracket supporting one end of the shaft, a fixed housing member supporting the opposite end of the shaft, and a toothed pinion on the signal end of the actuating shaft, of a stop pin within thefixed housing member, a lever arm within the fixed housing member and mounted on the signal-actuating shaft, a spring urging the said lever arm in engagement with the stop pin, means for manually actuating the signal-actuating shaft in rotary arcs of movement, and means for automatically actuating the signal-actuating shaft with limited arc of movement.

4. In a signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a rotatable signal-actuating shaft, a bracket supporting one end thereof, a fixed housing member supporting the opposite end thereof, and a toothed pinion mounted on end of said shaft, of a lever arm mounted on the opposite end of the signal-actuating shaft, a spring urging the lever arm in one direction of movement, a stop pin limiting the movement of the lever arm, an independently rotatable sleeve mounted on the signal-actuating shaft adjacent to the lever arm, a cam integral with the rotatable sleeve and adapted to actuate the lever arm through a limited arc of movement to stop indicating position, a lever fixed to the rotatable sleeve, adjustable link elements connectjed'to said lever and adapted to be connected to a brake pedal, andmeans for manually actuating the signal-actuating shaft through greater arcs of'movement and to right and left turn indicating positions. I

,5. In a signal-actuating apparatus, the

combination with a signal-actuatingshaft,

supporting means therefor,.and a pinion on one end of the shaft, of a spring urgingthe signal shaft rotatably in one direction, a stop 7 pin to limitthe movemen'tof the. signalshaft, pedal actuated means for. moving-the signal shaft rotatably in. opposition to the spring and to an initial stop signal display position, and manually actuated means for actuating the signalshaft in said opposite direction and to other display positions. I I I 7. In signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a signal-actuating shaft, supporting means therefor,and a pinion on one end of theshaft, of a spring constantly urging the signalshaft in one direction of rotary movement, mechanism for actuating the shaft in acontrary direction of rotation, and arranged to be actuated by movement of a brake pedal, a stop member fixed to the signal shaft, a shaft lever operatively mounted on the signal shaft and extending radially therefrom, manually actuated means for actuating the shaft leverthrough arcuate paths of travel, the shaft lever being normally in engagement with said stop member, and means for maintaining the said manually actuated means in display positions.

8. In signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a SignaLact-uating shaft, supporting means therefor, and a pinion on one end of the shaft, a lever housing mounted adjacent to the signal shaft, a hand lever operatively mounted in the lever housing, the

lever housing having a peripheral slot and notches therein for signal display positions, auxiliary spring-actuated levers mounted on the hand lever and adapted to engage in respective notches in the display positions, and operative link and lever elements between the hand lever and signal-actuating shaft.

9. In signal-actuating apparatus, the combination with a signal-actuating shaft, bracket supporting means for one end thereof, a fixed housing supporting the opposite end, and a toothed pinion on one end of the signal shaft, of a lever arm integral with the actuating shaft and mounted in the fixed housing and projecting therefrom, the lever arm having a projecting lug thereon, a spring secured to the lever arm and to the fixed supporting member and urging the lever arm and signal-actuating shaft in one direction of rotation, at stop pin mounted on the fixed supporting member and limiting the movement of the lever arm and signal shaft, a casing fixed to and moving synchronously with the lever arm, a sleeve within and projecting from said casing and independently rotatable on the signal shaft, a lever fixed to the projecting portion of said sleeve,- an adjustable link connected to the last-named lever and adapted to be connected to a brake pedal, a

cam on the rotatable sleeve and adapted to engage with the lever arm lug, and means for manually actuating the signal shaft through greater arcs of rotary movement and to signal positions.

l0.- In a single-actuating apparatus, a rotatable signal shaft, a spring urging the signal shaft to rotate in one direction, a stop pin to limit the movement of the rotatable signal shaft, an independently rotatable sleeve on the signal shaft, a lever arm on the signal shaft, acam on the sleeve to actuate the lever arm, means whereby the cam is act-uated by movement of a brake pedal, and manually actuated mechanism for operating the signal shaft with greater rotary movement and to additional signaling positions.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

FUSAJIRO MAMIYA. 

